Automatic pipe coupling



N. KNAPP Jan 6, 1931.

AUTOMATIC PIIE COUPLING Filed Dec. 28, 1925 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 \N m w T wm G B Jan 6, 1931.- s. N. KNAPP 1,787,750

AUTOMATIC PIPE courmno Filed Dec. 28. 1925 3 Sheets-Shoot. .2

lll nln' m Q /4 Geog e M Knn o.

Patented J an.- 6, 1931 Y warren s ares i ei ee GEORGE 1\T.,KNAPP, OF ST. LOUIS COUNTY, MISSOURI AUTOMATICVPIPE COUPLING Application filed December 28, 1925. Serial No. 77,966.

This invention relates to automatic pipe couplings, of the kind that are used on railway cars for automatically coupling the pipes of two adjacent cars.

One object of my invention is to provide an automatic pipe coupling that has the desirable features and characteristics of the pipe coupling described in my prior U. S. Patent No. 1,378,468, dated May 17, 1921, and which is equipped with double feather edged gaskets for producing tight joints between the aligned ports in the two complemental parts of thecoupling when said parts come together. v

Another object is to provide an automatic pipe coupling of the general type referred to, in which the gaskets used to produce tight joints between the complemental parts of the coupling are so constructed and arrangedthat they can be removed easily-for inspection or replacement when the complemental parts of the couplings are in engagement with each other for coupling the pipes of two adjacent cars.

Figure 1 of the drawings is a side elevational view, illustrating my improved automatic coupling in operative position on the draw bars of two adjacent cars.

Figure 1 is a detail View, illustrating the construction of the vertically-adjustable members on the draw bars that carry the complemental parts of the coupling.

Figure 2 is an enlarged top plan view,' illus trating the complement-a1 parts of the coupling in operative engagement with each other; a i

Figure 3 is a front elevational view of one of the gasket plates.

Figure 4 is a vertical longitudinal sectional view of one ot'the complemental parts of the coupling, showingthe female member of said part in vertical section and the male member of. said part in side elevation and partly broken away to illustrate the construc tion of the valves that are used to prevent coupling, said insects, dirt and other foreign matter from entering the ducts orpassageway's in said part. i s

Figure 4c is a front elevational view of one of the compleniental parts of the coupling; i V

Figure 5 is a sectional view, illustrating one of the valves that is used to prevent water from remaining in one of the ducts or passageways ot the coupling; and I Figure 6 1s a detail front elevational View of one of the valves that is used to prevent insects, dirt and the like from entering the passageways or ducts of thecoupling.

Referring to the drawings which illustrate the preferred form of my invention, A and Adesignate the two complemental parts of the coupling which are suspended by any suitable meansffrom th'edraw bars G and C two adjacent carsequipped with pipes that are adapted to be connected together by the complemental parts A and A of the compemental parts bein so constructed and arrangedthat they will move into operative engagement with each other when the cars come together. v j

Each of said complemental'parts A and A comprises a ln al e member 1 and a female member 2 arranged in the same horizontal plane and 'so'disposed with relation to each other that the male member 1 projects forwardly beyond the female member 2, as shown in broken lines in Figure 2. The male member-l is of substantially frusto-pyramidal shape in form and is provided with four inclined walls that converge towards the. front end ot said. malemember, asshown in Figure 43. The female member 2 is provided with asocket of, substantially frusto-pyramidal form whose internal dimensions are thesame as the external dimensions of the male member 1, so that when the two complemental parts A and A vcome together, the

' male niemberon the part A will. enter the femaleinemberfon the A, and the male member on the part A Will enter the female member on the part A, even though said parts are slightly out of alignment with each other vertically or-horizontally, or vertically and horizontally. The couplings can be designed to couple one or more pipes together, the coupling herein illustrated being so constructed that it will automatically couple three pipes on one car to three co-operating pipes on an adjacent car. Thus, as shown in Figures 1 and 2, the part A'of the coupling is provided at its rear end with-apipe receiving portion 3 that has two pipes 4 attached to one end of same and a single pipe 5 attached to its opposite end. The .part A. is provided at its rear end with a pipe receivingportion 3 that has a single pipe 5 attached to one end of same and which has two pipes 4 attached to its opposite end, as

shown in broken lines in Figure l, the pipes 4:, 4 and 5*,be1ng arranged on one side of the coupling, and the pipes 4 4* and 5 being arranged on the other side of the coupling.

Ducts or passageways are formed in the coinplemental parts A and A of the coupling so as toestablish communication between the pipes attached to said parts when said parts are in operative engagement with each other.

' saidducts communicating with ports formed in the front end of the male member 1 of each complemental part of the coupling, and in the rear end wall of the female member 2 of each complemental part of the coupling. Thus as shown in Figure 4 three ports :0 are formed in the front end of the'male member of each complemental part of the coupling.

such points'that'tapered feather edged portions of said gasketswill be engaged by ta pered ports in the ends of the male members 1 of the coupl ng, when the complemental parts of the coupling come togethen. as-de-V scribed in my said prior patent, I form ta vpered ports in both the female members'and the male members of the coupling and arrange double feather edged gaskets on the female members in such a way that, the pressure of the medium flowing through the pipes which the-coupling joins together'will force said gaskets tightly'against the female members and also tightly against the male mem- 'bers,.therehy eliminating the possibility of leakage between the gaskets and either part of the couplingwith which said gaskets-ed operate. I also mount the gaskets on the complemental parts ofithe coupling in such a shown in Figure the female me a the slots '7, sa d guide pins Sibeingconnected screwedinto the gasket manner that they can be removed easily, even though said parts, are in engagement with on which said gasket is mounted, and a feather edged, annular portion 6 that 1s adapted to fit snugly in the aligned tapered per-twin the co-operating male member 1 on the other complemental part of the coupling when'the parts Brand A come together. The gasket plateD is preferably constructed of metal and the gaskets 6 are constructed of rubberor other suitable material and are mounted in said'plate in such a way that they can be removed from same after they have become worn or defective and replaced by perfect gaskets. In the form of my invention herein illustrated each of the gaskets 6 .consists of a tubular member provided at points intermediate its feather edged, portions 6 and 6 with parallel, laterally projecting flangesb that embrace the gasket plate D, as

The gasket plate 1) is arranged vertically in a slot 7 in the female member-2 which is of such dimensions that said gasket plate can move slightly relatively to said female member in a direction longitudinallyof the coupling to cause the gaskets 6 to be pressed tightly against the tapered walls of the ports in the opposed portions of the complementalparts of the coupling when said parts icome together, and said gasket plate is alsomounted in such a manner that it can be bodily' removed from said female member, withoutuncoupling the cars, by driving wedges between the male and female members of the couplin so as to force them apart'slightly. ,As shown in Figure l, each female member 2 of the coupling is provided inits top andflbottom walls with verticallyaligned slots 7 that receive the endportions of the gasket alate said slots being enough rider than the thicknessef the gasket plate to permit saidi plateto move towards: and

vaway from the inner end wall of the female member 2 in which the ports 3/ are former. The gasket plategD is supported and retained. in operative position by guide pins 8 at the upper and lower ends of same that slide freely in horizon, liy-disposedholes 9 formed mher 2 at opposite sides of to ,t'l1e gasket plate D by externally screw-' threaded portions on said. pins that are plate as shown in Flgure 4. When the complemental parts of other.

the "coupling come together the pressure which thefmale member of each of said parts exerts on the gasketsth-at c'o operatewith the ports 00 in theend of same causes the plate 1) on Whichsaid gaskets are'mounted to be moved bodily towards the opposed inner end wall of the co-operating female member :2, thereby causing the gaskets to be pressed tightly against the complemental parts of the coupling. Due to thefact that the gaskets 6 have double feather edges which conform to the taper of the ports w and 3/ with which they co-operate, the pressure of the medium that flowsthrough the pipes which the coupling joinstogether willbe exerted on the feather edges of said'gaskets in sucha way that'it holds said feather edges in snug en gagement with the tapered ports .00 in the male members and the tapered ports 2 in the female members, therebyieffectively preventing leakage between the -.gaskets and the female members of. the'coupling' or leakage between the gaskets and the male members of the coupling. Y

In order that the gasket plates D-may be removed-when two'adjacentcars are coupled together with the complemental 'partsA and A in operative engagement with each other, Iform slots 10 in the complemental parts A and A. of the coupling, as shown in Figure 2, so as to receive wedges that can be inserted in said slots and driven downwardly so as to exert pressure on the edges of the top and bottomi Walls of the female members 2 of the coupling in a direction'to force the complemental parts A and A apart slightly or suflieiently to relieve the clamping pressure onthe gaskets 6, and thus permit the gasket plates D. to-be'withdrawn from thefslots 7 in the femaleimembers after the guide pins 8 for said gasket plates have'been removed, theslots 7' in the bottom Walls of the female membersbeing a trifle Wider than the slots 7 in the top walls of said female members, so as to'permit the gasket plates D' to be tilted slightly, and thus facilitate the,- withdrawal of same. 'If desired, shallow-'notches.-1()'" can be formed .in the edgesofftheftop and bottom'walls ofthe female'meinbersof the coupling at points inali'gnment with the slots 10, previously referred to, soas toreceive the Wedges that ar e'used to separate the com plemental parts of the coupling during the operation of removing the gasket plates when said complemental parts. are inoperative enagement withjeach' other. f 'r' r r g The complementalpartsA and- A1 are provided with valves: 11;.for preventing insects, dirt and other foreign matter from entering the passageway zin said parts, or the pipes attached to said-parts when the partsaAja-nd Awar'e not inoperative engagementwith each Said. valves 'll-may be of 1 any preferred typeor kind, so'long as they are of such design that they will open automatically the valve open, as shownjin Fi ure; 5.

in adirection topermit the medium to flow through the pipes which'the coupling joins together; and can' n'ot reverse or assume an incorrectposition, andthus cut ofi'or impede thefiow of the-medium throughsaid pipes. In the form ofmyinvention herein illustrated pivotallymounted valves 11 are arranged inthe passageway z .in proximity to the ports w and y, said valves being sustained by horizontally-disposed pivot pins or hinge pins 1-1 arranged so that said valves will nori'nallyassume a vertical position, as shown in full lines in Figure 4, 'a'nd will swing upwardly into anfinope'rative positi'onwhen a medium under pressure 'flows through the pipesthat the coupling joins together;

- d The coupling hereinill-ustrated is "provided with a means for preventing water from remaining in a portion or portions of the coupling through which steam circulates when the coupling is in use. Said means consists of one or more drain 'valvesl2 of any prefe'rredtype orki'nd arranged in the portions 3 and ofthe parts and A of the coupling. I prefer to ;use gravity-operated valves that will open automatically as soon as steam ceases to flow through the passagewayi'n which'said valves arearranged. It

is obvious, however, that any other suitable type of'va-lve might be-employed, such, for example, as a' valve that is normally held open by means of a spring: The drain valves 12 above referred to are arrangeddn the lower sides'of the'porti'ons 3 and-3 of the complementalparts A and A" of-the coupling to whiclrthe' pipes Sand 5* are attached, and each of said valvesis-provided with a valve seat 13 and an op-erating. lever" let'that is combined with the'steirr 15 of the valve in such a way that it=normallyjexerts pressure on the valve in a direction 'tendi'ng to hilxd s soqa as pressure turned-into the line close automatically and remainclosed until 'thesupplyof steam iscut off fromsaid'liiie.

The leveri'l l" not only" forms" an eflic-ient meansfor holding the valve open, but" said seat of the valveor from the guide through 'formed by the pipes 5'-and'-5 ,-the' valves? 12 which the stem ofth'e valve passes; "lVith a coupling 0f the construction above f de- 'sk'zri'bed'there is very' little liability f'ofj the steam line breaking, due to water fieiiig in"sani'e',-"because' any steam that condenses in thefsteamlinewill be able to escape freely through} the "drain openin s with which the drain valves11'2 areassociated. i i

ltis'immaterial, so far 'as'my broad'i'dea is concerned, what means isused for suspending the complemental partsrAyand A of the cou- Lpling-jfromythe drawbarsC and G,-bu't Ilprefer to us'e .:a means pfuth'e kind; :-,heiiei-n illus trated, on 'accountof its simplicity and low cost of manufacture. As a similarmeans is used for sustaining, each complemental part of the coupling, I will only describe the means that is. used fortsustaining the part A, Said means consists of-a yoke 16 mounted on the draw bar C and provided with depending screW-threadedportions 17 V thatpassthrough a horizontally-disposed tie bar 16 and through lugs 18 on a plate orcasting 19, thecasting 19 engagement with the'casting 19 by means of a horizontally-disposed rod 23 whose front end is connected to the part A by a universal joint formed by a hook 241- on said rod that passes through-an eye 25 on the portion 3 of the part A, the rear end of said 'rod'23 being provided with. screw threads so as "to receive a nut 26 that bears against the rear side of the casting '19. An inclined strut, brace or other suitable device 27 is preferably combined with the casting 19 and with the draw bar 0 so as to take up the shock to which said casting issub- 'jected when the complemental parts of the coupling move into engagement with each other, said member 27 being combined'with the casting 19 in such a way as to permit said casting to be raisedand-lowered to change the elevation of the part A of the coupling.

A sustaining means of the construction above described is inexpensive to manufacture it insures the complemental parts A and ;A of the coupling being maintained in such a a position that they-will be sureto move into operative engagement with each other, even though saidparts are slightly'out of alignment when the two cars come together; it permitsthe tensionof the-spring 21 to be varied i simply by changing the position ofthe nnts 26 onthje rods 23, and it permits the elevation V of thecomplementalparts A and A of the lien coupling to be variedvby raising and lowering thelugs 18. p 7

Having thus described my invention, .what

' I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters EPatentis: f

1. An automatic pipe coupling for railway cars, consisting of two complemental parts provided with cooperating male and female members, co-operating ports inthe front end of each male member and in the: inner end 7 A :wall of each female member, a removable gasket platein each female membe'riarranged so {that it can move bodily longitudinally of the coupling "and having endportions positioned in openings in saidmember, and a sustaining' means for said gasket plate that is adapted to be manipulated so as topermit said plate to be bodily withdrawn from the female member in which it is positioned.

2. An automatic pipe coupling for railway cars, consisting of two complemental parts provided with co-operating male and female members, co-operating tapered ports in the front end of each male member and in the inner end wall of each female member, and a removable gasket plate in each female member. provided with double feather edged gasket-s, for the purpose described, the complemental parts of the coupling having openings in which devices can be inserted to separate said parts when it is desired to remove said gasket plates without uncoupling the cars.- o

3. An automatic pipe coupling for railway cars,.consisting of two complemental parts provided with co-operating male and female members,-co-operating tapered ports in the front end of each male member and in the inner end walllof eachofemale member, a 'removable gasketplate .in each female member provided with double feather edged gaskets, the end'portions of said gasket plate being arranged in slots in the walls of said female member which are of greater width than the thickness of said gasket plate, and a sustainingbmeansfor said/gasket plate which permits it to move bodily relatively to the female member in which it is mounted when the complementalparts of the coupling come togethen f a i V v I 4. An automatic pipe coupling for railway cars, consisting oftwo complemental parts provided with co-operating male and female members, co-operating ports in the-front end of each male member and in the inner end wall of each female member, and a gasket plate provided with a plurality of gaskets mounted in a slot in each female member which is of such dimensions that the'movement of themale memberfiinto the female member causes said gasket plate to move bodily longitudinally of the coupling and thus causethe gaskets to be clamped tightly enough between said male member and female member to efi'ectively' seal said ports.

, 5. An automatic pipe coupling for'railway cars, consisting of two complemental'parts provided with co-operating male and female 'members, co-operating' ports in said members, a removable gasket'plate mounted in a slot in each female member which 'is of such dimensions that the movement of'the male members into the female members causes said gasket plates to'move bodily longitudinally ofthe coupling, a'n'd'means whereby the parts of the coupling may besepa'rated sufliciently to permit the removal of said gasket plates from their slots without uncoupling the cans,- l ,7

6. An automatic pipe coupling for railway cars, consisting of two complemental parts provided with co-operating male and female members, co-operating ports in said mem bers, gaskets for sealing said ports mounted on one of said members, and means for enabling said gaskets to move longitudinally of the member on which they are mounted, and also move longitudinally of the coupling, and become clamped tightly between 0pposed surfaces on said male and female members when the male member enters the female member.

GEORGE N. KNAPP. 

